Originally founded in 1869, the Chicago Cubs became a charter member of the National League in 1876. Over the next 150 seasons, the Cubs have played more than 22,000 games, scored over 103,000 runs and recorded more than 200,000 hits, more than any other team in baseball history. Nearly 2,300 players have worn a Cubs uniform, earning eight division titles, 17 NL pennants, and three World Series championships.
Fans have witnessed generations of unforgettable players, from historical heroes like Joe Tinker, Gabby Hartnett, Ernie Banks, and Billy Williams to more recent stars like Ryne Sandberg, Derrek Lee, Kerry Wood, and Anthony Rizzo. The team has called Wrigley Field home for 110 of those 150 seasons.
To celebrate this milestone, the Cubs are holding a fan vote to select the franchise’s anniversary team. Each week, we will go through the provided options for each position and declare who should, and, if different, who will, win the fan vote. We continue today with the first eight selections for starting pitcher.
Pete Alexander spent parts of nine seasons with the Cubs, from 1918-1926. He missed the majority of 1918 after being drafted into the Army and being deployed to France. In 1920, he won the pitching triple crown, leading the NL in wins, ERA, and strikeouts. That turned out to be his last dominant season, thanks to injuries sustained in World War I, though he continued to be an effective pitcher for the remainder of his Cubs career. In 1938, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame with 80.9% of the vote.
Jake Arrieta was acquired by the Cubs in July of 2013, making seven starts for Iowa before being recalled to the rebuilding big league club. He turned into an ace for the team in 2015, winning the NL Cy Young Award, and was a key contributor to their World Series championship in 2016. He threw two no-hitters, one in 2015 against the Dodgers and the second in 2016 against the Reds. After leaving as a free agent following the 2017 season, he re-signed with the Cubs in 2021, with disastrous results. He set the team record for highest ERA for a pitcher in a season with at least 20 starts. He followed up his final appearance before his mid-August release, where he gave up 8 hits and 7 runs in the first inning, with a post-game tirade where he berated a reporter for wearing a mask, which he was required to do by city regulation, during a Zoom press conference.
Mordecai Brown spent two tours with the Cubs in the early 20th century, from 1904-1912 and again in 1916. Nicknamed “Three Finger” due to a farming accident in his youth which mangled his right hand, the disfigurement gave him an unusual grip on the baseball, which gave his pitches extra topspin. During his Cubs career, he topped the 20-win plateau six times and helped the franchise to their first two World Series titles in 1907 and 1908. His 2.06 career ERA is the third best amongst Hall of Famers and the best amongst pitchers with at least 200 wins. He was elected to the Hall of Fame posthumously in 1949.
Guy Bush spent parts of twelve seasons with the Cubs, helping the team to two NL pennants. His best year came in 1933, when he won 20 games for the only time and posted a career-best 2.75 ERA. Due to his effectiveness both in the rotation and out of the bullpen, he got down-ballot MVP votes in 1929, 1932, and 1933.
John Clarkson spent just four seasons with the White Stockings but was highly dominant in three of those seasons. Signed out of semi-pro ball in the middle of 1884, he would lead the NL in wins and strikeouts in two of the following three seasons. On July 27, 1885, he threw the only no-hitter of his career on his way to 53 wins, the second highest total in MLB history. He followed that up with 36- and 38-win seasons the following two years. Known for his delicate temperament, he became more difficult to manage during 1887 and, with the team starting to decline in the standings, he was traded to the Boston Beaneaters. In 1963, he was inducted into the Hall of Fame.
Larry Corcoran was one of the National League’s earliest pitching stars, playing for the White Stockings from 1880-1885. In 1880, he led the league in strikeouts while putting up 43 victories. The following year, his 31 wins led the league, and, in 1882, his 1.95 ERA was tops. He was the first pitcher in baseball history to throw both two and three no-hitters and held the career mark until 1965.
Clark Griffith joined what would become the Cubs organization in 1893, the same year the pitcher’s mound was moved back to its current distance. In his eight seasons with the club, he topped 20 wins six times and led the NL with a 1.88 ERA in 1898. He is a member of the Cubs team Hall of Fame and, in 1946, he was elected to Cooperstown.
Kyle Hendriks was first acquired by the Cubs at the trade deadline in 2012 as part of the return from the Rangers for Ryan Dempster. He made his major league debut nearly two years later, throwing six innings against the Reds at Great American Ballpark and earning a no-decision. 2016 was his best season, winning 16 games and posting a 2.13 ERA in the regular season and making five post-season starts, giving up just two earned runs in 21 2/3 innings between the NLCS and the World Series. He had struggled with injuries and worsening performance over his last three seasons, making his departure following the 2023 season feel inevitable.